Application Information

You have an idea that fits within the 10 research themes of Gaia, you find and contact a potential researcher at SDU, about your application and ask them if they would like to be your supervisor and you then gather all the material you need to make your application.

• Applicants have to find a supervisor at SDU via our portal.

• Mobility Rule: Applicants must not have lived, worked or studied in Denmark or at SDU for more than 12 months in the 3 years before the deadline

• Relevant PhD in Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, or Engineering by the call deadline (date of PhD defence).

• Have a maximum of 8 years full-time equivalent research experience measured from the date stated on the PhD diploma. 

• The application must be in English.

• The research proposal must be relevant to the Gaia programme mission of climate mitigation, adaptation, and the green transition (see themes).

• Project Proposal, with a page limit of 10 pages

• CV of Researcher (see CV template), page limit of 4 pages 

• Personal Information Form (see template) 

• Proof of communication/Letter of support with Supervisor 

• PhD certificate

• Proof of Residency if you already live in Denmark

Each Postdoctoral Fellow will have a main SDU supervisor, and co-supervisor as well as a non-academic partner organisation mentor. Fellows are advised to find and contact their potential main supervisor through SDU’s researchers’ portal.

The applications will be evaluated by external evaluators, who are internationally recognised experts in Climate relevant research.
Applications will be evaluated based on four main criteria grouped into three categories:  

Research Excellence, Research Impact, and Research Implementation 

The main criteria are: 

a) The quality of the research project. 

b) The fit between the research project and the research groups involved. 

c) The qualifications of the applicant. 

d) How the research project will help the applicant’s career. 

The review of applicants’ academic records will look at both the number of published articles and citations, as well as other experiences that show a varied career path, like teaching or mentoring. Career breaks or unusual CV timelines won’t count against applicants; instead, they will be seen as positive experiences that contribute to a well-rounded career. Each criterion will be scored out of five, according to the scoring chart provided. 

The evaluation process follows the 'Code of Conduct for Recruiting Researchers.' 

1. Research Excellence (50%)

1. 1 Scientific and Technological Quality of the Proposal (25%)

• Clarity and relevance of project aims and objectives

• Quality and credibility of the proposed research

• Originality and innovation compared to current standards

• Interdisciplinary strengths and ambitions

• Suitability of proposed methodology

• Consideration of gender and diversity aspects (if relevant)

• Quality of Open Science practices (transparency, accessibility, reusability)

1.2 Qualifications of the Applicant (25%)

• Background and qualifications, including non-academic experience and career breaks

• Research experience and bibliometric indicators (publications, citations, impact factor, H-index, patents)

• Professional experience (career mobility, teaching, supervision, leadership roles, collaboration with organizations)

• Fit between the applicant's profile and the proposed research

2. Research Impact (30%)

• Contribution to European excellence and competitiveness

• Potential impact on the applicant's career

• Effectiveness of dissemination and communication measures for various audiences

• Opportunities for exploiting results, including collaborations with industry and public authorities

3. Research Implementation (20%)

• Compatibility of the project with available facilities/infrastructure

• Overall coherence and effectiveness of the work plan, including milestones and expected results

Scoring:

5 - Excellent - Proposal successfully addresses all relevant aspects of the criterion. Any shortcomings are minor. 

4 – Very Good – Proposal addresses the criterion very well, but a small number of shortcomings are present. 

3 – Good – Proposal addresses the criterion well, but a number of shortcomings are present. 

2 – Fair – Proposal/interview broadly addresses the criterion, but there are significant weaknesses. 

1 – Poor - The criterion is inadequately addressed, or there are serious inherent weaknesses. 

The selection process will take up to 4 months and involves international independent experts. The Selection process includes: 

• Application Submission: Applications are checked for eligibility, and candidates are informed of the results. 

• External Review: Eligible applications are reviewed and scored by an expert panel. 

• Redress Opportunity: Applicants can request a review of the evaluation if they disagree with the decision. 

• Interview: Top applicants are invited for a 25-minute interview. 

• Final Selection: Candidates are ranked based on interviews, and positions are offered to the highest-ranked applicants. 

• Recruitment: Applicants are notified of the decision and offered positions, with support provided for relocation. 

• Second Redress: A second redress is possible after final selection. 

• Ethics Review: Projects undergo an ethics check if necessary. 

You can look at the MSCA PF guidance on filling out the proposal template. Please note that the EU guidance is designed for the Personal Fellowship (PF) and may slightly differ from the Gaia application requirements.